The Marshall University LAMBDA Society represented the gay community Monday by unofficially marrying couples to start off Pride Week.

West Virginia became one of 37 states to legalize gay marriage Oct. 9, 2014.

Britta Aquirre, vice president of the LAMBDA Society, said anyone could be married, and to prove that point, the first couple of the day was a straight couple.

“We want to normalize things,” Aquirre said. “We want to say, ‘Hey, we are the same, and we should be treated as such.’”

Breonna Patterson, president of the society, said during the first hour of the event, six couples and one trio were married.

Couples paid $5 to be unofficially married under a fabric-laden arch complete with choice of bouquets or bow ties.

Participants received pictures, an unofficial marriage certificate, two wedding rings and two cupcakes.

Half of the funds raised during Pride Week will go to the Huntington Cabell Wayne Animal Shelter.

Patterson said each year the society chooses an important organization in Huntington to give half the funds is raises.

“We try to choose an organization that serves a really good purpose, and the animal shelter definitely does,” Patterson said.

The rest of the week’s events are free and open to the public.

Caitlin Fowlkes can be contacted at [email protected].